TY - JOUR
T1 - Anti-TNF-alpha therapy for sight threatening uveitis
AU - Lindstedt, E W
AU - Baarsma, G S
AU - Kuijpers, R W A M
AU - van Hagen, P M
PY - 2005/5
Y1 - 2005/5
N2 - AIM: To describe the effect of additional treatment with anti-TNF-alpha therapy in a case series of 13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis.METHODS: 13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis were included, of whom six had Behçet's disease, five had idiopathic posterior uveitis, one had sarcoidosis, and one birdshot retinochoroiditis. Onset and course of ocular inflammation, inflammatory signs, and visual acuity were assessed. Patients were treated with 200 mg (approximately 3 mg/kg) infliximab infusion. Repeat infusions were given based on clinical response.RESULTS: Infliximab treatment resulted in an effective suppression of ocular inflammation in all patients. In patients with non-Behcet's disease uveitis visual acuity in six out of eight improved or was stable. In patients with Behcet's disease visual acuity in five out of six improved or was stable.CONCLUSION: Anti-TNF-alpha treatment may be of value in the treatment of uveitis, and in patients with Behçet's disease, leading to suppression of ocular inflammation, vasculitis, and improvement of vision in the majority. Based on these results a controlled masked study is warranted.
AB - AIM: To describe the effect of additional treatment with anti-TNF-alpha therapy in a case series of 13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis.METHODS: 13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis were included, of whom six had Behçet's disease, five had idiopathic posterior uveitis, one had sarcoidosis, and one birdshot retinochoroiditis. Onset and course of ocular inflammation, inflammatory signs, and visual acuity were assessed. Patients were treated with 200 mg (approximately 3 mg/kg) infliximab infusion. Repeat infusions were given based on clinical response.RESULTS: Infliximab treatment resulted in an effective suppression of ocular inflammation in all patients. In patients with non-Behcet's disease uveitis visual acuity in six out of eight improved or was stable. In patients with Behcet's disease visual acuity in five out of six improved or was stable.CONCLUSION: Anti-TNF-alpha treatment may be of value in the treatment of uveitis, and in patients with Behçet's disease, leading to suppression of ocular inflammation, vasculitis, and improvement of vision in the majority. Based on these results a controlled masked study is warranted.
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
KW - Behcet Syndrome/drug therapy
KW - Female
KW - Follow-Up Studies
KW - Humans
KW - Infliximab
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Treatment Outcome
KW - Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/antagonists & inhibitors
KW - Uveitis/drug therapy
KW - Uveitis, Posterior/drug therapy
KW - Visual Acuity/drug effects
U2 - 10.1136/bjo.2003.037192
DO - 10.1136/bjo.2003.037192
M3 - Article
C2 - 15834077
SN - 0007-1161
VL - 89
SP - 533
EP - 536
JO - British Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology
IS - 5
ER -